Finding a reputable translation partner for long-term collaboration

Whether you’re a company or an individual, finding a hero among the zeros of the online translation world can be a big ask. How can you tell if a translator is the real deal, or just another rip-off artist looking for a quick buck?

For a start, you should look for a translation partner with three key attributes: native language skills, a professional background in translation and in-depth knowledge of your particular industry. It might be quite hard finding all this in one individual, which is one reason to consider partnering with a translation team instead. Agencies can offer a great deal of flexibility, a range of services and excellent prices.

Before you approach a new supplier, make sure you do your online research first. You should find a well designed, professional website, evidence of lots of activity on social media or blogs, and possibly membership of other organisations from jobs boards like ProZ to various national associations of translation agencies.

Once you do make contact, make sure you’re asking the right questions. Check that your potential translation partner offers editing, proofreading and quality assurance processes as standard. Do they work with CAT-tools, translation software that can mean big savings for clients? Enquire about how they can grow with you, offering new services and languages or taking on larger volumes of work as your company expands. Also be alert to the kinds of questions your potential partner asks in return. A great provider will want all the information they can get about the purpose and intended target audience for the text, and they might also ask if you have any digital resources such as translation memories that you want them to use.

With all these tips in mind you’re well on your way to a successful new business relationship. Good luck!

This is the summary of the article published on LinkedIn Pulse under title “How to tell whether your translator is bona fide: 8 steps to success” by Oleg Semerikov.